Undergrads and postdocs observe an experiment at MRI. Credit: Seana Wood / Penn State MRI
How MRI research facilities powers education at Penn State and beyond
By Jamie Oberdick
When most people think of cutting-edge scientific research, they imagine white-coated scientists, gleaming labs, and futuristic technologies. But at Penn State’s Materials Research Institute (MRI), the work goes deeper and reaches further. Here, research is not just a pipeline for innovation. It’s a dynamic engine of education, preparing students with hands-on experience, cultivating a future-ready workforce, and fulfilling the university’s land-grant mission.
MRI is often recognized for its world-class research in semiconductors, advanced materials, and nanotechnology. But behind the scenes, its core facilities including the Materials Characterization Lab (MCL), the Nanofabrication Lab, the Two-Dimensional Crystal Consortium- Materials Innovation Platform (2DCC-MIP) and others are constantly buzzing with student activity. Graduate students, undergrads, and postdocs don’t just observe experiments; they plan and execute them.
“Core facilities serve a dual, synergistic purpose of education and research where the two domains are one in the same, the act of doing cutting-edge research on state of the art tools is education,” said Kevin Dressler, affiliate assistant professor of civil engineering and operations and user facilities director of the 2DCC-MIP.
Dressler, along with Josh Stapleton, associate research professor and the director of the MCL, help to oversee two of MRI’s state-of-the-art facilities, where students from undergraduates to postdocs learn by using the same high-powered instruments relied on by global industry. These experiences not only support Penn State’s scientific mission but also fulfill its land-grant commitment to workforce development and public service.
Stapleton sees that impact firsthand. “I think the part that is most frequently overlooked is the story that sits right in front of us, which is a workforce development story,” he said. “There are a bunch of students who put impressive bullet points on their CV because they worked in the MCL, 2DCC-MIP, or NanoFab, and that ends up being what gets them a job.”
Sometimes that job comes directly through connections forged in the lab. Jeff Shallenberger, associate research director of MCL and assistant research professor, recalled working with a senior figure from a Pennsylvania semiconductor company who was looking to hire.
“I said, ‘There’s a student I work with who sounds like what you’re looking for,’” Shallenberger said. “They met in the XPS lab and that student’s been working there for five years now.”
These connections are no accident. MRI’s collaborative ecosystem brings together faculty, students, staff, and industry in shared spaces where research and learning happen side-by-side. That hands-on experience translates into a workforce ready to tackle the nation’s biggest challenges.
Joan Redwing, distinguished professor of materials science and engineering and director of the 2DCC-MIP, has trained more than 25 doctoral students at Penn State.
“Many of my students have been hired by Intel or other semiconductor companies,” Redwing said. “They have the skills that these companies need.”
Redwing’s group specializes in growing and studying semiconductor materials like gallium nitride, which is a key component in LED lighting and modern display screens.
“Semiconductors are not just in your laptop,” Redwing said. “They are quickly becoming the source of all lighting applications because they’re more energy efficient and they last longer.”
The value of MRI’s research-education model is also evident in economic initiatives like the onsemi Silicon Carbide Crystal Center (SiC3) at Penn State. Led by Penn State and industry partners, SCIA supports semiconductor development for energy intense and national security applications while training students in high-value manufacturing techniques and crystal science.
Joshua Robinson, professor of materials science and engineering and director of the onsemi SiC3 at Penn State, emphasized the dual focus on innovation and talent.
“We want everyone in the nation to be able to come here to innovate in an open platform, and to train the next generation in silicon carbide crystal manufacturing,” Robinson said while addressing attendees at the alliance’s first industry advisory board meeting in March.
For Dressler, the connection between education and research is fundamental—and deeply aligned with Penn State’s identity.
“We are the land-grant university of Pennsylvania,” he said. “This is what we were founded to do.” I
n the end, MRI is not just a research powerhouse. It’s a training ground, a launchpad, and a bridge between learning and doing. Whether it’s a student mastering an electron microscope, a company solving a complex materials problem, or a doctoral program grad landing a job in industry, the impact of MRI extends far beyond the lab, and into classrooms, communities, and careers across the Commonwealth.